Cultivator



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T. G. FLBMING.

GULTIVATOR.

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(No Model.)

1 T. C. PLBMING.

l GULTIVATOR.

110.573,143. Patented Dec. 15, 1896.

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T. G. FLEMING. GULTIVATOR.

1510.673143.; Patented 1360.15, 1896.

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THOMAS C. FLEMING, OF AYR, NEBRASKA.

CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,143, dated December15, 1896. Application iiled February 6| 1896. Serial No. 578,263. (Nomodel) To all whom zit may concern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS C. FLEMING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ayr, in the county of Adams and'State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to eert-ain new and useful improvements incultivators; and it has for its object, among others, to provide asimple and cheap construction by which the work is all brought close tothe team, the draft made equal, and more efcient and satisfactoryresults attained than by prior constructions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which-u Figure l :is a side elevation of myimproved cultivator. Fig. 2 is a top plan. Fig. 3 is a verticalcross-section. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section through the frontarch. Fig. 5

y isavertical longitudinal section. Figs. Gand 7 are details.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates theaxle, which is arched, as shown,and which carries the wheels A of anywell-known or improved form of construction.

B is the front arch, which is constructed to extend down and receive thedraft direct from the shovelstandards without the employment of a beam.This front arch has pivotally mounted thereon, upon a pivot b, thetongue B', to the rear end of which is secured the bar B2, of metal,which extends laterally from its point of connection with the rear endof the poleA and hence rearwardly in substantially parallel planes,although they may be slightly convergent and the rear end b2 or crossportion formed on a curve, as shown. To the side bars of thisrectangular frame thus formed are connected the ends of a chain or cordC, which chain or cord is passed up into the groove of the segment D,the said chain or cord extending across the upper face of said segment,as shown. This segment is carried by a rocking shaft E,mounted insuitable brackets or bearin gs E', secured to the arched axle, as shown,and the rear portion of the rectangular frame on the rear end of thepole or tongue moves in a g-uide e, depending from the bracket on whichthe said arms o'r lugs are carried in which the rocking shaft isjournaled. The tongue is thus free to shift on its pivot from right toleft without changing the course of the team. The rounding portion ofthis segment being in line with the pole or tongue keeps the change inline from one end of the shift to the other. To the rear end of thisshaft which carries this segment is a crossbar or arm F, and to each endof this crossbar is pivotally connected in any suitable manner avertical arm or rod F' which eX- 7 tends down through suitable guides f,formed in the horizontally-bent lower ends of the inverted-U-shapedplate f', supported on the axle, and on the lower end of each of theseVvertical rods, which are connected to the crossbar, is an adjustablefoot-rest or stirrup F2, so that the operator bypushing down on one orythe other of these stirrups can readily shift the course of thecultivator.

The segment has aplurality of openings g, and G is a shaft or pinmounted beneath the shaft on which the segment is carried and which isso constructed that by giving it a half-revolution the spring G', actingthereon, will shoot the spring-rod forward into oneof the holes in thesaid segment and thus lock the shift, thereby m akin g a stiif-tonguecultivator of it when desired. The seat H is adjustably mounted upon abar 71, secured to the `arched axle, as shown.

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pivot m. The rod I is omitted from Fig. 5. The longer standard isextended rearwardly and upwardly and has upon its upper end a T-shapedbar or casting m', which works in guides in the curved bar N, securedadjustably to the rear axle, so as to be moved nearer to or farther fromthe wheels, as may be desired. It will be seen that the shovels are thusthrown forward of the wheels and are always under the control of theoperator by means of the lever O, pivotally mounted bef tween its ends,as at o, in a hanger depending from thev axle and adjustable nearer toor farther from the axial line of the machine, the other end of thelever being pivotally connected with the longer of the twoplow-standards. As the lever is operated to adjust the plows or shovelsthe T-bar at the upper end of the longer standard is guided in theguideslot of the curved bar and theinclination of the shovels or plowsis varied. This T-head working in the grooved guide serves to hold theshovels square to their work, while at the same time it is free to raiseout of the ground or to rock sidewise, as may be desired. Eachshovel-standard is attached directly to the arch, which is also squarewith the work. Thus it will be seen that in shifting the shovels orplows they are always squ are with the work.

The operator has full control of the machine, and with his feet he cankeep the center of the cultivator plumb over the corn-row and with hishands he can guide the shovels along the hills of corn or pick out weedsanywhere in the row. From his position he can see the corn as heapproaches it and as the shovels pass by it, and should he throw somedirt on the corn he can reach it with his foot as he passes by.

The numerous other advantages resulting from the construction hereindescribed will be readily appreciated by those having occasion to usesuch devices.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrilicin any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is 4claimed as new isl. Thecom bination with a pivotally-mounted tongue, of a segment carried by arocking shaft, a frame secured to the rear end of the tongue and a chainhaving its ends attached to said frame and passed over said segment,substantially as described.

2. The combination with apivotally-mounted tongue, of a segment carriedby a rocking shaft, a frame secured to the rear end of the tongue and achain having its ends attached to said frame and passed over saidsegment, and means for locking said segment to form a stiff-tonguecultivator, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a pivotally-mounted tongue, of a segment carriedby a rocking shaft, a frame secured to the rear end of the tongue and achain having its ends attached to said frame and passed over saidsegment, and means for locking said segment to form a stiff-tonguecultivator, a cross-bar secured to said shaft and depending rodsconnected therewith and carrying foot-rests, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a pivotally-mounted tongue, of a segment carriedby a rocking shaft, a frame secured to the rear end of the tongue and achain having its ends attached to said frame and passed over saidsegment, and means for locking said segment to form a stiff-tonguecultivator, a cross-bar secured to said shaft and depending rodsconnected therewith and carrying foot-rests, which are adjustable onsaid rods, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a pivotally-mounted tongue, of a segment carriedby a rocking shaft, a frame secured to the rear end of the tongue and achain having its ends attached to said frame and passed over saidsegment, and means for locking said segment to form a stiff-tonguecultivator, a cross-bar secured to said shaft and depen-ding rodsconnected therewith and carrying foot-rests, which are adjustable onsaid rods, and guides for the vertical rods, substantially as described.

6. In a cultivator, the combination with the axle and the curved guidethereon, of the shovel-standard having a T-head Working in said guideand a pivoted lever having one end pivotally connected with saidstandard, substantially as described.

7. In a cultivator, the combination with the axle and the curved guidethereon, of the shovel-standard having a T-head working in said guideand a pivoted lever having one end pivotally connected with saidstandard, and means for adjusting said guide lengthwise of the axle,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS C. FLEMING.

lVitnesses:

C. G. LANE, W. S. DUER.

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